My Plum Paper Planner has arrived! You’re probably asking yourself what do I need another planner for…because that’s exactly what my husband asked haha. But – I needed a new planner for work (legitimately). The one I was using ended in July (it was a Blue Sky planner I picked up from Target) and I have not had a planner since and it really is a necessity for my work. I see clients on the hour – sometimes on the half-hour and need a way to keep track of my schedule. I did a little research and wanted to order a Plum Paper Planner because I liked the hourly options they had. I have had a Plum Paper Planner before (in 2015) but I used the 7 section that I customized for my personal needs. They have added so many options since then that you really can make this planner whatever you need it to be.
About Plum Paper
Plum Paper is a stationery company based out of San Diego. They started out making invitations and notecards, but quickly began to focus on planners as their line of planners and notebooks became their most popular products. Each of their products is handmade from start to finish, and it is obvious that the people behind the company care about their customers. The thought and planning that goes into the design and layouts is amazing, and they are definitely made with their customers’ needs in mind. As you will soon see, there is hardly a planning stone they have left unturned as they have crafted their wide line of products, and the possibilities with these planners are practically endless.
Sizes
The planners come in 3 different sizes – A5, 7×9 (which is what I ordered) and an 8.5 x 11.
Extremely Versatile
The #1 pro to these planners is the many, MANY different add-ons. The basic planner has several different layouts to choose from, which is a plus in and of itself. But then the add-ons — oh my! There is literally something for everyone in this list.
There are two kinds of add-ons: section add-ons and page add-ons.
Section Add-ons:
- Meal section
- Blog section
- Budget section
- Fitness section
- Baby section
- Teacher/Class section
- Direct Sales section
- Wedding Planning section
- Homeschool section
- Brainstorm section
- Travel section
- Social Media section
- Photography section
Page Add-ons:
- Gratitude pages
- Notes pages
- To-Do List pages
- Checklist pages
- Contact pages
- Student Contact pages
- Party Planning sections
- Parent Communication pages
- Behavior Log pages
- Bill Tracking pages
- Cleaning pages
- Correspondence pages
- Meetings pages
- Mileage Tracker pages
- Prayer pages
Different Layouts
The 7 x 9 planners have 11 different layouts! You can choose between monthly and weekly, horizontal or vertical, hourly or sectional, and more. There is even a specific fitness planner, student planner, teacher planner, and homeschool teacher planner.
Starts on Any Month
This is another feature that sets it apart from a lot of other planners. Most planners are either 12 month or 18 month – and the start dates are usually July or January – which makes it frustrating when you need to switch to another planner. You either end up wasting a good chunk of your planner or not being able to switch when you want. This was one of the biggest deciding factors for me – I hated the thought of getting a planner that started in July and wasting July and August. So I got my Plum Paper starting in September. I love that I could start my Plum Paper planner on the exact month I wanted.
Durable
Plum Paper planners come with a tear-proof, water-resistant cover that holds up and is easy to clean. It has a plastic cover to help protect the planner as well. My planner is not going to be leaving my office for the most part, but if you are on the go a lot and bring your planner everywhere, I can imagine that the planner will last and stay in great condition. The paper is a 70# paper – which a lot of people have said that they do not like the paper that this planner uses, but for what I need it for, it does not bother me.
It’s Affordable
I wanted a cute, customizable planner, but I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. The 7 x 9 Plum Paper planners start at $32. Extra months and add-ons do add to the cost, so depending on what you get, you could end up spending as much as you would on an Erin Condren planner. But the basic planner is much more affordable. In my opinion I did not think that was too bad of a price – especially since I was looking at spending at least $20-25 for some of the Target ones which are not customizable.
Customizable
Oh, the options for customization!! This is my second favorite feature about these planners, and one of the deciding factors that made me a repeat customer. Not only is my planner super functional, but it is beautiful and unique! There are a ton of different cover designs (geometric, floral, stripes, paint strokes, – the list goes on) to choose from and you can personalize the covers. There are several different shapes, script, and color options, and you can get your initials or name and a line or two of writing.
One final customizing option I wanted to mention is that you can also have your planner sent unbound and unpunched if you want to punch and bind it yourself with rings. This might be a good option if you think you may want to add or remove pages later. I did not choose this option, mine came with it’s coil.
How I’m Using My Plum Paper Planner For Work
To give you an idea of what you can do with a Plum Paper planner, I want to briefly show you my personal planner choices.
My Current Planner for Work
When I picked out my 2018/2019 planner, I chose the Areca Palms cover with my name on it. I love the color red and just felt like this was different from any planner cover I’ve had thus far. I opted for the hourly layout because this is what works for me at my job since I see clients on the hour and sometimes half hour. My set up I customized from 8am-8pm and there is 2 lines per hour so that if I have a half hour client, this would work for me. I use this planner purely for function – there will be no decorating in this planner. If you want to see how I decorate my other planner, check out my post on how I decorate here. The highlighted areas are things that I use to differentiate my clients (if I have a new intake or a Spanish client) so that I can keep track of these things.
I did not use any of the add-ons that would really make this planner super customizable to what you would need it for because I really am only using it for work. Seeing all of the changes they have made since I used the Plum Paper Planner in 2015, I have to say I might be tempted to purchase this as my catch all planner I use at home. Have you tried Plum Paper? What do you love or didn’t love about it? Let me know in the comments below!!
Xx Morgan
